Integrated cable management for welding and cutting systems

Abstract

A power supply for use in a welding or cutting system includes a housing configured to hold circuitry of the power supply. The housing includes clips at one or more corners of the housing. The clips are configured to receive and hold a cable when the cable is wrapped around the housing. The cable is coupled to and extending from the power supply.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A power supply for use in a welding or cutting system, comprising:
 a housing configured to hold power conversion circuitry of the power supply, wherein the power conversion circuitry is configured to convert input power received from a power source to a desired output welding power, 
 wherein the housing comprises a first panel and a second panel on a side of the housing opposite the first panel, wherein the first and second panels each comprises a plurality of substantially semi-circular grooves located at corners of the first and second panels, 
 wherein each of the substantially semi-circular grooves is configured to receive a first cable when the first cable is wrapped around the housing, wherein a distal portion of the first cable comprises a strap for attaching the distal portion of the first cable to another portion of the first cable to secure the first cable relative to the power supply, 
 wherein each of the substantially semi-circular grooves comprises protrusions extending into the respective substantially semi-circular groove at an entrance of the respective substantially semi-circular groove, a groove opening smaller than a first cable diameter of the first cable, and an interior surface that is rounded around a corner to provide a smooth transition for the first cable as the first cable wraps around the respective corner, and 
 wherein each of the plurality of substantially semi-circular grooves further comprises a first semi-circular groove nested within a second semi-circular groove, wherein the first semi-circular groove has a first diameter, and wherein the second semi-circular groove has a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter. 
 
     
     
       2. The power supply of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of substantially semi-circular grooves are molded into the corners of the first and second panels. 
     
     
       3. The power supply of  claim 1 , wherein the corners of the first and second panels are rounded to guide the first cable around the housing. 
     
     
       4. The power supply of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of substantially semi-circular grooves are molded into the first panel and the second panel, wherein the first panel comprises a front panel of the housing and the second panel comprises a back panel of the housing. 
     
     
       5. The power supply of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of substantially semi-circular grooves have a first diameter approximately equal to the first cable diameter of the first cable. 
     
     
       6. The power supply of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of substantially semi-circular grooves have a diameter corresponding to a rated output amperage of the power supply. 
     
     
       7. The power supply of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of substantially semi-circular grooves comprise flexible material to aid insertion and removal of the first cable in the plurality of substantially semi-circular grooves. 
     
     
       8. The power supply of  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises an appropriate number of substantially semi-circular grooves for receiving a total length of the first cable. 
     
     
       9. The power supply of  claim 1 , comprising:
 the first cable having a torch disposed at a first distal portion of the first cable; and 
 a second cable having a clamp disposed at a second distal portion of the second cable; 
 wherein the plurality of substantially semi-circular grooves are configured to receive the first and second cables as the first and second cables are wrapped around the power supply. 
 
     
     
       10. The power supply of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of substantially semi-circular grooves have a first diameter that is smaller than the first cable diameter of the first cable in order to reduce slackening of the first cable once the first cable has been installed in the plurality of substantially semi-circular grooves. 
     
     
       11. A welding or cutting system, comprising:
 a power supply comprising:
 a housing comprising a first panel and a second panel on a side of the housing opposite the first panel, wherein the first and second panels each comprises a plurality of substantially semi-circular grooves located at corners of the first and second panels; 
 power conversion circuitry configured to convert input power received from a power source to a desired output welding power; and 
 a first cable assembly having a torch disposed at a first distal portion of a first cable, wherein the first distal portion of the first cable comprises a strap for attaching the first distal portion of the first cable to another portion of the first cable to secure the torch relative to the power supply; 
 
 wherein each of the substantially semi-circular grooves is configured to receive and hold the first cable when the first cable is wrapped around the housing, wherein each of the substantially semi-circular grooves comprises a groove opening smaller than a first cable diameter of the first cable, and an interior surface that is rounded around a corner to provide a smooth transition for the first cable as the first cable wraps around the respective corner, 
 wherein each of the substantially semi-circular grooves comprises protrusions extending into the respective substantially semi-circular groove at an entrance of the respective substantially semi-circular groove such that the respective substantially semi-circular groove is configured to receive and hold the first cable when the first cable is wrapped around the housing, and 
 wherein each of the plurality of substantially semi-circular grooves further comprises a first semi-circular groove nested within a second semi-circular groove, wherein the first semi-circular groove has a first diameter, and wherein the second semi-circular groove has a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter. 
 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 11 , wherein each of the substantially semi-circular grooves comprises protrusions extending into the respective substantially semi-circular groove at an entrance of the respective substantially semi-circular groove such that the respective substantially semi-circular groove is configured to receive and hold the first cable when the first cable is wrapped around the housing. 
     
     
       13. A front panel of a welding power supply comprising:
 a plurality of substantially semi-circular grooves located at first and second corners of the front panel, wherein each of the substantially semi-circular grooves is configured to receive a first cable when the first cable is wrapped around the front panel, wherein the first cable comprises a strap configured to attach a first distal portion of the first cable to another portion of the first cable to secure the cable, 
 wherein each of the substantially semi-circular grooves comprises a groove opening smaller than a first cable diameter of the first cable, and an interior surface that is rounded around the first corner or the second corner to provide a smooth transition for the first cable as the first cable wraps around the first corner or the second corner, 
 wherein each of the substantially semi-circular grooves comprises protrusions extending into the respective substantially semi-circular groove at an entrance of the respective substantially semi-circular groove such that the respective substantially semi-circular groove is configured to receive and hold a first cable when the first cable is wrapped around the front panel, and 
 wherein each of the plurality of substantially semi-circular grooves further comprises a first semi-circular groove nested within a second semi-circular groove, wherein the first semi-circular groove has a first diameter, and wherein the second semi-circular groove has a second diameter that is larger than the first diameter. 
 
     
     
       14. The front panel of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of substantially semi-circular grooves are molded into the first and second corners of the front panel. 
     
     
       15. The front panel of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of substantially semi-circular grooves are molded into a detachable panel, wherein the detachable panel is removably attached to the front panel, and wherein the detachable panel is secured to the front panel with a locking mechanism. 
     
     
       16. The front panel of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of substantially semicircular grooves located at the first corner are molded into a first detachable panel, wherein the plurality of substantially semi-circular grooves located at the second corner are molded into a second detachable panel, wherein the first and second detachable panels are removably attached to the front panel, wherein the first and second detachable panels are secured to the front panel with a locking mechanism, wherein each of the plurality of substantially semi-circular grooves at the first corner has a first diameter, and wherein each of the plurality of substantially semi-circular grooves at the second corner has a second diameter that is different from the first diameter.